Theme day: Comfort food

 

I promised myself I would never post pictures of food.  But the Theme for March is comfort food.  So here it is.  Homemade sourdough bread cooling on the rack.

Success

The heron was hunting.

He splashed head first into the water.

Success!

 

Bluebird

This little bluebird watched us from a safe perch.

 

Spring

Right now, most of the country is covered in snow.  

But the first flowering trees are in full bloom here in Raleigh.

A late frost could still freeze the blooms off, but for now, enjoy!

 

Visiting Anole

She looked like a wise little dinosaur.

She's a green anole, even though she was brown right then.  Anoles can change color depending on their mood. (See here)

 

Heron again

Doesn't everyone need a heron picture once in a while?

 

Woody

We've walked in these woods for years, and seen a lot of woodpeckers.  But until this year we had never seen a Pileated woodpecker.  This year we see them often.  Are there more, or are we better spotters?

 

Contrails

The late afternoon sun illuminated a trio
of contrails.  

Or alien invaders???

 

Heron

The heron in the tree was watching a hawk in the next tree.  It was a stand off.

 

Spooky old tree

A weak winter sun shining through an old tree.

 

Green

The sun shining through a palm leaf.

 

Pines will grow anywhere

Pine trees will grow anywhere.  This one is growing in the crook of a crepe myrtle street tree.

 

Curiosity

This little nuthatch watched us closely before flitting away.

 

Hazel

The Hazel is blooming all around Durant Lake.

Does it look like a flower?  The long yellow catkins are the pollen producing male parts, the red at the top are the female parts.

The woodpeckers move in

They've been working hard, and the nest is almost ready.  

 

Love birds

Happy Valentine's day

Here are a pair of Pileated woodpeckers working a tree together.  It must be love!

And another pair of love birds, Hooded Merganzers.

 

Creek

A little creek is a great wading place, but it's too cold now.

 

Pine

Pine trees will try to grow anywhere they can.  This one is growing out of a stump in the middle of a pond.  

 

Pond after the rain

A misty afternoon after the rain.

 

Free

Found on a neighborhood curbside.  You never know what treasures people are willing to give away.

 

Mrs. Woodpecker investigates

Mr. Woodpecker made three holes going up and down the tree.  Mrs. Woodpecker looked them over, and it seems that the middle one is her choice.  Hopefully it will be their happy home for the season.

 

On the edge

Downtown Raleigh keeps expanding.  Here on the edge, beyond the railroad tracks, building continues.

 

Speckled Robin

This robin was hopping around the yard with a group of other robins.  I found out from my wise and wonderful naturalist friend that this is a leucistic robin, meaning that it is a partial albino.

Pretty cool!

 

Emerging

These turtles looked like they'd been under the mud waiting for spring.  They must have decided to come out in the warm sun.

 

Hermit

We heard a hermit thrush and played its song on our bird app.  The little thrush came flying to a nearby tree and listened.  I think he was looking for a friend.

 

Face off

A downey woodpecker and a Carolina wren faced off at the suet feeder.  I'm not sure I'd mess with a fiesty little Carolina wren with it's long pointy beak.

 

Weedy seeds

A few spring buds are coming out, but the dry winter plants are still with us.

 

Puzzle

This pine warbler couldn't seem to figure out how to get to the suet underneath the feeder.

Finally success.